Glock’s Model 21 is a big gun — not only in size (8.07 inches long, 1.34 inches wide, 5.51 inches high) but also in caliber (.45 ACP) and capacity (13+1). And, loaded up, it’s heavy (around 40 ounces). Still, it’s a great shooter: reliable, accurate and easy to operate. Despite its size and weight, the Glock 21 can be carried concealed very well. The key is to have the right holster at the right cant with the right covering garment. You could say that’s the formula for carrying any big gun concealed, and you’d be right. But not every big gun is a Glock 21. So here’s how I hide this big gun.
Hiding is about holstering, and my holster of choice for the Model 21 is this MultiHolsters Torn Kydex, an OWB. Pardon the zombie design; I think it looks great and is a fun change from basic black. With a Torn Kydex from MultiHolsters, you can get a custom “torn” pattern in a variety of color combinations. Retailing for $130, this holster can also be configured for inside-the-waistband carry, so it is quite versatile. I usually stick to OWB for the 21 though.
Big guns tend to be carried during seasons calling for more covering garments, namely fall and winter if you live in the upper Midwest like me. And if I’m going to carry a big gun, then I’m going to carry OWB. IWB has its advantages, of course, but I prefer OWB for the stability and ease of draw. Multi’s Torn Kydex offers two belt-slide loops that are very stiff. They can be attached at multiple points on the holster (more on this in a minute), but no matter where they attach, the holster’s shape and the loops wrap around your hip. Lots of holsters are shaped like this, but the larger the gun you carry, the more important it is — especially with Kydex. Here you get maximum holster real estate contacting your hip, as well as leverage from the belt loops (as they interact with your gun belt). This makes a formidable combination that works toward a very stable carry rig.
Besides carrying OWB, I carry the Glock 21 with a slight forward cant. Since MultiHolsters belt loops can be attached at various points on each side of the holster, I can build in a few different cant possibilities. But I usually settle on staggering the holster just by one attachment point, resulting in the slight cant you see here. This puts the stocks of the gun more up than out (helping hide it from the rear) and puts the rear of the slide a little bit (but not too much) to the front (helping to hide it from the front). This is the best cant for me for the Glock 21 in this holster.
Finally, I cover the Glock 21 and the Torn Kydex holster with a larger untucked shirt or an oversized jacket. And it’s not the stocks or the rear of the slide I have to be most concerned about showing; it’s the bottom of the holster that’s liable to peek out first. So my covering garment should drop low enough that if I raise my strong-side arm, the shirt or jacket will still cover the bottom edge of the holster. This isn’t too much of a concern in cooler climates, where longer flannel shirts and soft-shell jackets are commonplace.
One more thing: Depending on what I’m doing or how I’m dressed, I’ll slide the MultiHolsters Torn Kydex to anywhere from 3 o’clock to 5 o’clock on my gun belt. Most days, I prefer it at 4 o’clock. And that’s how I hide the big Glock 21.
What’s your preferred big gun for carry, and how do you carry it?
